An Interview With The New Bill Gates, And How He’s Still Teaching Us To Be Better Geeks

Every geek knows who Bill Gates is, but just who is the man behind the legend? In an uncharacteristically candid interview with the UK’s Daily Mail, he describes not just his family life, but what he plans to do with his personal fortune. It might sound like an easy question to someone like you and me, but if you actually stop and think about what you would do with $56 billion (after making $28 billion in charitable donations), you’ll begin to appreciate why it’s not so cut and dry.

Here is the coles notes version if you don't feel like reading through the full article.

When asked about his children’s future.

‘The Billionaire song is what my kids tease me with,’ he says. ‘They sing it to me. It’s funny.’

In reference to his personal fortune, Gates responded: ‘I don’t think that amount of money would be good for them.’ He won’t specify what they will get, but the reports that they’ll receive ‘only’ $10 million each can’t be far off, because he concedes, ‘It will be a minuscule portion of my wealth. It will mean they have to find their own way.

'They will be given an unbelievable education and that will all be paid for. And certainly anything related to health issues we will take care of. But in terms of their income, they will have to pick a job they like and go to work. They are normal kids now. They do chores, they get pocket money.’

What does Bill Gates do when his kids ask for an iPad?

His face hardens: ‘They have the Windows equivalent. They have a Zune music player, which is a great Windows portable player. They are not deprived children.’

What About Cars?

“I drive myself around town in a normal Mercedes. I’ve had a Lexus. The family has a Porsche, which is a nice car that we sometimes take out. We have a minivan and that’s what we use when it’s the five of us. My eldest daughter rides horses, so we go to a lot of three-day shows.”

When asked if Philanthropy is more important to him now than Microsoft.

‘My full-time work for the rest of my life is this foundation.’

Will he ever return to helm Microsoft?

‘No. I’m part-time involved. But this is my job now.’

On Mark Zuckerberg

According to Gates, Zuckerberg “has already pledged to give most of his fortune away. Gates lets slip that Zuckerberg may be engaged to Priscilla Chan, his long-term girlfriend: ‘I didn’t say to Mark, “Give me all your money!” He was predisposed to do it and he came to me seeking advice”.

When asked if Gates still sees himself as a Geek.

‘Hey, if being a geek means you’re willing to take a 400-page book on vaccines and where they work and where they don’t, and you go off and study that and you use that to challenge people to learn more, then absolutely. I’m a geek. I plead guilty. Gladly.'

Sure he invented the EULA concept, and when he ran MS it was a bit predatory. But from what I understand he's always been someone that plays for keeps. And now that he's no longer being the "head geek" he's actually trying to make a difference in the world instead of simply breeding spoilt little air heads to leave his fortune too.

No matter where you sit on the whole evil empire question, you have to give the man a big thumbs up.

''Bill is blessed. He has given away half his fortune in the past all at once just to get it back again. He is doing what a lot of people don't do, he is doing good with his money."

He gives milions away so he doesn't pay taxes. And so the rest of us have to pony up. He's one of the many rich and powerful that want to control this world and thats dangerous. He want to force innoculation to 90% of the population. :(

I never get tired of reading the rantings of conspiracy, anti-government theorists.

Tax Deductions 101:

When you spend money in a tax-deductible way (charitable donations, mortgage interest, business expenses, etc), you don't have to pay taxes on that money you spend. For example, if you give away $1,000 to the Red Cross and you're in a 25% tax bracket, you will owe $250 less on your taxes. Since your employer takes taxes out for you as the year goes along, you will owe less than they took, meaning you get a tax deduction. The government isn't giving you more money.

You'll never be able to not pay taxes by donating money.. especially since you can only deduct up to 50% of donations to charitable organizations. There is no way in hell Bill Gates is not paying taxes. He might be paying less, but all his income from stocks, all his property and everything else that earns him money is taxed.

Feel free, by the way, to do a little learning before you start putting down a man who donates billions to help people.

Fckin fail... You give your money to charities(help hungry people,which is good), still pay taxes(which is at some point, gonna get misallocated by the government).. And have someone only twist it up in a bad way. Great job, hero.

Uh, let me see. Give away money toward charity I know where it's going toward, or pay taxes where I know it ends up being misallocated by some bureaucrat at some point. I think I'd go with charity if I was rich.

Bill is blessed. He has given away half his fortune in the past all at once just to get it back again. He is doing what a lot of people don't do, he is doing good with his money. I would like to believe that I would do the same if I were rich. I don't think Bill ever told anyone to F off like Jobs has. He helped drive the PC to where it is today and we all owe him that.

And don't forget that for many years, while Bill Gates was in charge of Microsoft, Microsoft corp was considered the best place to work in the United States. You don't get awards like that unless you really take care of your employees and MS did.

He won’t specify what they will get, but the reports that they’ll receive ‘only’ $10 million each can’t be far off, because he concedes, ‘It will be a minuscule portion of my wealth. It will mean they have to find their own way.

I would love to be in one of his kids shoes. Seriously, think about it. Top notch education (full ride), $10 million just for you. C'mon you can seriously live a comfy life. Wonder what will happen if his kids rival their own dad (work for Apple, LMAO).

Weather you like or do not lime Microsoft (I do like them, usually), you have to admire Bill Gates. I have heard him speak in person a number of times, I always get a feeling that he is sincere. If all parents took his advice we would all be much better off, all kids should have to make it on their own to at least some extent. Bill Gates is doing a lot of good.

It's something a lot of people forget, but that's the intent of the estate tax. Money is power, always has been, always will be, and no-one should be granted power by virtue of inherited money. England had to learn this the hard way in the 1700's when their parliament turned corrupt and nepotistic and implemented the estate tax in response. Here in the U.S. we have the estate tax on the same principles, but because no-one here gives a rat's ass about foreign history most people are completely ignorant of the "why" and just rage against it as an evil tax by the government to take their money.